The best lettuce for burgers is a contentious topic. Some people swear by the iceberg, while others think that romaine or butterhead lettuces are the way to go. These preferences have everything to do with personal taste and preference. The trick is to find lettuce that you enjoy eating on its own so it doesn’t get soggy when it comes in contact with the burger juices. In this blog post, I’ll discuss the different types of lettuce so you can decide which one will work best for your needs!
Iceberg Lettuce – is NOT The Best Lettuce For Burgers
Among the lettuces, iceberg lettuce is the most well-known. However, many people do not realize that iceberg lettuce has high water content and almost no nutritional value. Usually, when you buy ahead of iceberg lettuce, there may be small bits of brown or black mold in it! Here are some facts about why iceberg lettuce should never be used as a burger topping:
Iceberg Lettuce’s High Water Content Is Bad For Your Burger
The high water content found in iceberg lettuce makes your burger patty soggy. Since this is probably not what most people want from their burgers they should look for other toppings. More suitable options include spinach, arugula, kale, romaine lettuce, or any other leafy green for a healthy and crispy addition.
Iceberg Lettuce Has Almost No Nutritional Value
In general, the darker leaves of lettuces have more nutritional value than lighter colored leaves. Darker-colored lettuces also contain beta carotene, fiber, lutein/zeaxanthin, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium vitamin K1, vitamin C, zinc, copper selenium potassium vitamin E.
On the other hand, iceberg lettuce has almost no nutritional value with most of it being water weight. It also contains no fiber and very little protein. To top it all off It’s completely void of essential vitamins and minerals that our body needs to stay healthy.
Romaine lettuce
Romaine lettuce is best for burgers.
Now that you know why iceberg lettuce is bad for burgers, let’s discuss some facts about romaine lettuce. Romaine lettuce is a variety of cos lettuce and has a crisp texture with a hint of bitterness. It is great when used as a burger topper because it has a crunchy texture that holds up well under saucy toppings such as barbecue sauce or ketchup. Furthermore, the nutritional value of romaine lettuce makes way more sense for this type of use since it has vitamin A, C, E, K plus folate, iron, calcium potassium fibers protein and niacin. All these vital nutrients make your body happy and full of energy!
If you want your burgers to taste great and be healthy, don’t use iceberg lettuce. Romaine lettuce is the best option for your burger’s content and your taste buds!
Green Leaf Lettuce
Green leaf lettuce is also another variety of cos lettuce, but with a milder flavor than romaine. It has red leaves and is very common in the U.S. This type of lettuce works great as a burger topping since it can hold up to thicker sauces, such as mayonnaise or steak sauce. In addition to that, it contains all the vital nutrients your body needs from vitamin A, C, E, K to folate, magnesium potassium fibers niacin, and calcium.
Bibb Lettuce
If you’re looking for extremely mild lettuce to use on your burgers, bibb lettuce is the one for you! It has a very mellow flavor and can hold up well under almost any sauce. Bibb lettuce contains vitamin A, C, E, K plus folate niacin iron fibers calcium potassium. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help fight cancers! Since this type of lettuce does contain cancer fighting properties it should be eaten in at least moderate amounts.
Radicchio Lettuce
Last, but definitely not least, let’s talk about radicchio lettuce. Radicchio is a red leaf variety of chicory and it has a slightly bitter taste to it. Regardless, this type of lettuce makes an excellent burger topping since it holds up well under thick sauces, such as barbecue sauce or steak sauce. On top of that, all the anti-oxidants in the plants also help fight cancer and give you an energy boost! It contains vitamin A, C, E and K plus folate fiber magnesium calcium potassium and iron.
This is why radicchio lettuce should be used on your next burger! It’s healthy for your body and tastes great. So grab some ground beef and start cooking to make the best burger ever!
Conclusion
In conclusion, using romaine lettuce on your next burger is a great option. Romaine lettuce has all the necessary nutrients for a high-energy and healthy day while having a nice crunchy texture to hold up well under thick sauces. If you’re looking for extremely mild lettuce that will be very crispy and work well under almost any sauce, you should consider green leaf lettuce. Lastly, if you want a type of lettuce with a bitter taste which adds some pizzazz to your burger, use radicchio lettuce!
